Mic Check: The U.S. Secretly Cut Off Over $500 Million in Aid to Egypt

The U.S. has secretly cut off military aid to Egypt according to a report by the Daily Beast. A spokesman for Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the chairman of the Appropriations State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, said the U.S. has suspended over $500 million in military aid. Meanwhile, the lawyer for Hosni Mubarak said the deposed ruler will be released from prison within 24 hours. Expect a major shakeup in Egypt: The military relies on the U.S. for weapons and other supplies, and Mubarak’s release could turn more Egyptians against the interim government.

The CIA has officially admitted its role in the infamous coup that took down Iran’s prime minister on August 19, 1953. "[T]he military coup that overthrew Mosadeq and his National Front cabinet was carried out under CIA direction as an act of U.S. foreign policy,” says a newly released report. The U.S.-backed coup stirred up anti-American sentiment and even fueled the hostage crisis in 1979. It’s pretty ridiculous the CIA hasn’t owned up before: Presidents Clinton and Obama both admitted the U.S. organized the coup.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed a bill banning gay-to-straight conversion therapy for minors on Monday. Christie said research into the health risks of conversion therapy influenced his decision; the American Psychological Association has found conversion therapy makes kids depressed and more likely to have suicidal thoughts. New Jersey is one of two states in the northeast where gay marriage is illegal, but banning conversion therapy is a step in the right direction.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the city’s biggest ever gun bust on Monday. An undercover cop recovered 254 weapons in the investigation, which led to 19 arrests. The weapons were being trafficked from the Carolinas to New York by gunrunners police creatively nicknamed “Biggie,” “Zebra Girl,” and “Tattoo Arm,” among others. “There is no doubt that the seizure of these guns has saved lives,” said Mayor Bloomberg.

Videogame developers will reveal details about their new systems at the Gamescon conference in Cologne, Germany today. Sony will announce the release date for the PlayStation 4 at a 1 pm ET press conference. Experts are guessing the release date will be set for late October. Meanwhile, Microsoft will announce the lineup of games that will release alongside the Xbox One.